Centennial Celebration: Looking Back
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Our beloved parish of Notre Dame of Mt. Carmel turned 100 years old this year! While July 5, 1925, was the official date of our church dedication, July 5, 2025, marked just the beginning of a year-long centennial celebration filled with FAITH, fellowship, gratitude, MISSION, and HOPE!
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Centennial Kick-Off Celebration: July 12, 2025
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What a blessing it was to gather for such an inspiring liturgy—encountering our Lord in the Eucharist, in His Word, and in the presence of our devoted clergy and faith-filled community, many of whom have journeyed with Notre Dame since the days of the little chapel!
Looking back:
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Centennial Memory Book:
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What a blessing to have compiled, to a great extent, the 100-year-old legacy of our beloved parish within the 192 pages of this Centennial Memory Book. Its pages hold historical facts about our beginnings and our journey of physical and spiritual growth, as well as our mission to this day. Personal sharings are also included as part of this keepsake, capturing the special memories and graces that have impacted the lives of several parishioners, who have been with us for decades or just a few years. A gallery of photos will help us recapture special moments or gain a greater insight into the special moments shared by countless souls in the parish community. And there is more!
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Centennial Display of Memories
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Months of hard work resulted in a breathtaking display of photos and memorabilia capturing our 100-year-old story! The showcase was made available for our kick-off celebration in the Gathering Space and remained on display through the month of July, 2025.
Display in the works... -
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Commemorative Project: Renewal of Our Chapel
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In late 2024, the Centennial Committee agreed to a special project to commemorate our 100th birthday. Our desire was one that would bring glory to the Lord while honoring our Blessed Mother. The project focused on enhancing the beauty of our St. Benedict Chapel.
After partnering with a team from New Holland Church Furniture, the collaborative process began. Deacon Joe and I, along with our wives and a small group of parishioners, discussed several ideas as a basis for our designs. Next, we worked with their team until we had final renderings for our pieces. After we chose the wood species, brass applications, and fabrics, the manufacturing began of our new altar, baptismal font, lectern, presider chair, and kneeler. In addition, the group agreed on a portrait of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, and Fr. Peter Gray was commissioned to complete it.
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Centennial Merchandise: Limited Edition
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In honor of Notre Dame Parish’s Centennial and to give glory to God for the many blessings we've received, the Vocation Ministry offered limited-edition T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and tote bags featuring our official Centennial Logo.
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Celebrating Our Lady and Patroness!
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Parishioner and Retreat Facilitator Linda Baratte offered a special evening of reflection on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, the eve of Our Lady's Feast Day, which is celebrated on July 16. In her presentation, "Holy Mary, Mother Mary, Model Mary: Our Lady of Mt Carmel," Linda offered us the opportunity to honor our Patroness, in a special way this year, our Centennial.
Linda shared about the history of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel and how she became our Patroness. Her presentation then focused on our Blessed Mother, Mary, Mother of God, as Linda offered beautiful and inspiring insights into our first and most perfect disciple, Mother Mary, a model of Faith, Compassion, and Courage.
Linda and her husband Jim then treated the event participants to light refreshments and fellowship. -
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